Technical Leadership Graduate

Nestlé; East Midlands; Hybrid; GBP 32,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading food and drink manufacturer in the UK is looking for candidates for its Technical Leadership Graduate Scheme. This 2-year program involves rotating through various roles across multiple factories, gaining hands-on experience and contributing to process improvements. Applicants must possess a degree in any subject, have the right to work in the UK, and show a willingness to learn. The scheme promises a supportive environment with expert mentorship and opportunities for career growth.

Benefits

Comprehensive benefits

Potential relocation support (£2,000)

Various rewards and recognition opportunities

Responsibilities

• Rotate through two 12-month placements across UK factories.
• Engage with various functional teams to make an impact.
• Work on continuous improvement projects to drive efficiencies.

Skills

Technical capabilities

Problem-solving

Process improvement

Project management

Adaptability

Education

Degree in any subject

Job description

Start date: 2nd September 2026

Scheme duration: 2 years

Salary: £32,000 per annum + excellent benefits

Location: Various factory locations across the UK

Are you looking for a graduate scheme that will empower you to unlock your potential whilst working for the world’s largest food and drink manufacturer? If so, this could be the perfect opportunity for you!

What will you do?

When you join Nestlé’s Technical Leadership Graduate Scheme you will embark on a fantastic 2-year journey, rotating through two 12-month placements across our UK factories. These placements will provide you with the opportunity to explore various operational areas and could see you work across multiple product categories – think KitKat, Nescafé, Purina and more! You will have the opportunity to work on continuous improvement projects, gaining hands‑on experience and making a real impact to drive efficiencies across our factory operations. Throughout your journey, you will receive expert guidance and mentorship from experienced professionals, supporting you to evolve your career and see the impact of your efforts here at Nestlé.

What makes this Technical Leadership Scheme exciting?

• Hands‑on experience: Engage directly with a range of different functional teams, applying your knowledge and skills to make an impact.
• Diverse exposure: Rotate through various roles and locations to gain a thorough understanding of technical and production processes in diverse operating environments. From understanding machinery operations and maintenance to data analysis for production processes.
• Networking: Build lasting relationships with colleagues across different sites and functions, opening doors for collaborative opportunities.
• Stakeholder management: Balance the needs of cross‑functional stakeholders, honing your interpersonal skills and building your unique professional brand in the process.
• Career growth: Your career path could lead you to become an expert in a specific specialism such as quality, safety or packaging, or you may want to progress into a people management role like Shift Manager.

What will you learn?

• Technical capabilities: Navigate the complexities of a fast‑paced FMCG operation, where your decisions will have impact. Developing your technical skills and helping to set you up for a fantastic career in operations.
• Process improvement skills: You will learn lean manufacturing and Six Sigma methodologies to enhance efficiency and quality across the work you do.
• Project management: Gain skills in planning, executing, and monitoring projects effectively.
• Problem‑solving: Utilise the skills you develop during the scheme to respond to challenges of varying types and scales, while identifying opportunities and implementing solutions for sustainable success.
• Adaptability: Embrace the opportunity to collaborate with diverse teams, cultures, and operational processes as you rotate through the different placements.
• Continuous learning: Gain first‑hand experience of industry trends and external factors that influence Nestlé as you progress through the scheme.

Our commitment to you…

• Inclusive culture, join our variety of employee run networks!
• Comprehensive benefits
• Pastoral support
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Potential relocation support (£2,000)
• Prayer rooms
• Various rewards and recognition opportunities
• Availability dependent upon site

We are committed to recruiting for potential, ensuring that you have the opportunity to grow and thrive in an environment that values your unique abilities and aspirations whilst contributing to shape the future of our manufacturing operations.

Eligibility Requirements

You will need to have the right to work in the UK that is not time‑limited and does not require sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route either at the start of the scheme or on completion.

You’ll need a degree – this can be in any subject and at any grade – and you’ll need to be mobile across the UK. What’s also important is your commitment to the scheme and your willingness to learn.

The recruitment journey

After you click “apply” you’ll be prompted to answer a few questions to determine your eligibility for the scheme. If you qualify, we will invite you to complete an online assessment, which you can practice here. Please do not upload a CV, instead we ask you to upload any relevant qualifications to support your application.

Once you have completed this stage, we will notify you if you are selected to attend an assessment day which will be in February or March 2026. It may take a little bit of time between assessment stages to get back to you, we really appreciate your patience.

Adjustments

We recognise that each candidate has unique needs, and we are committed to ensuring an inclusive application process. You will have the opportunity to discuss any specific requirements or adjustments you may need as you navigate through our recruitment process.

We may occasionally close job advertisements early in the event we receive sufficient applicants, so please don’t delay in submitting your application.

At Nestlé, our values are rooted in respect – for our employees, our customers and our consumers. That’s why championing diversity and inclusion is so important to us; when we embrace different perspectives and give everyone the chance to be the best they can be, we can think in new, creative ways that grow and enhance our people and business. We are committed to equal opportunity for all and we may collect relevant data for monitoring purposes during our candidate registration process.